MISC: The Girl Who Sved the World Part 50

[George Phillies]

Chapter Nine
Secure Chamber Alpha
The Palace of Peace
Geneva, Switzerland
Evening
January 13, 2018

Holmgren stood at the head of the table, waiting for the ambassadors of 
the Great Powers to be seated. Finally all of them had arrived and were 
in place. He leaned into his chair and tapped his gavel once. “Our 
recess is over. We are again in session. The ambassadors who had placed 
objection markers at the last meeting have all indicated to me that they 
insist on raising their objections before we advance to Brigade Leader 
Valkyria and her report on the events at the Maze. I therefore recognize 
Ambassador Buncombe.”

“Mr. Chancellor,” Buncombe said, “during the earlier part of the meeting 
this morning several ambassadors indicated that it was the intent or 
position of their government that in the hypothetical case that the 
Bearer was found, within a country other than their own, that their 
governments would be entitled to send persona teams or even military 
units to the location of the Bearer to seize the Namestone. For example, 
if the bearer were to be found in scenic Buffalo, North York, 
Buffalonians might find themselves visited by the persona teams and 
armed hosts of a series of countries I will not embarrass by naming.” 
Buncombe had not incidentally named one of America’s wealthiest and most 
significant industrial cities.

“The President and Speaker of the American Republic are in complete 
agreement that such a visitation, made without the invitation of the 
American Republic, which assuredly will not be forthcoming, would be 
viewed as an act of war. The American Elite Persona Team would be 
ordered to the scene to dispose of the invaders. Furthermore, Speaker 
Ming has called upon the Governors of all states to place in readiness 
their Persona State Guards to advance to the assistance of the American 
Elite Persona Team. The American team is under direct and explicit 
orders from the President that such an invasion is to be put down 
without quarter being offered, unless the invaders immediately and 
without offering resistance surrender themselves.

“In addition, the American Republic would view it to be an act of war 
for any foreign power to insert their persona teams into the territory 
of any of the Canadian Dominions, unless Her Majesty’s government had 
invited them, in which case the situation would be taken under 
advisement. As an exception, any effort of the IncoAztecan government to 
insert its persona teams or armed hordes into the territory of any other 
country in the Americas will be taken to be a declaration of war on the 
American Republic, a declaration against which the American Republic 
will respond in full. I believe that Ambassador Featherstonehaugh is the 
next to speak, and I yield to him.”

“On behalf of Her Majesty’s government,” Featherstonehaugh responded, “I 
will say that we are grateful for the offer of the American government 
to support the independence and liberty of each of Her Majesty’s 
Canadian Dominions against foreign invasion, with the clear 
understanding that has already been negotiated between our Minister of 
State and Speaker Ming that at such time as we request our American 
friends to depart that they will do so as expeditiously as possible 
given the potential need to assist the sick and injured, extinguish 
fires, and support the detention of foreign prisoners of war pending 
their fair trials and prompt executions. Potential needs were in fact 
discussed at some length; we are quite sure that the British Empire and 
the American Republic are in complete agreement on the notion of 
potential needs and expeditious withdrawal. Also, Her Majesty’s 
government views the independence and security of other nations in the 
Americas to be a critical matter for the security of the British Empire. 
There is no possibility that Her Majesty’s government would consider 
being responsible for the consequences if the independence and security 
of any of these nations were to be infringed upon. The longstanding 
alliance between Her Majesty’s Realm and the Empire of the Brazilians is 
viewed as particularly sacrosanct. Having said that, I believe that 
Ambassador Davout had signaled a desire to speak, perhaps even before I 
did, but he graciously offered to allow me to speak first.” 
Featherstonehaugh passed the Speaking Stone to Davout.

“On behalf of his Most Placid and Serene Majesty, the Sixth Napoleon, 
may His House endure forever, I must most emphatically indicate that the 
French Empire categorically and completely rejects the suggestion that 
foreign powers are entitled to besmirch the name of the Empire and the 
honor of the Legion of Glory by claiming a right to enter our territory 
and attack our citizens, as though we were unable to protect ourselves.” 
  Davout closed the case from which he had been reading his remarks. The 
Legion of Glory, Buncombe, thought, was the French Military Persona Host.

Holmgren, fearing what was about to happen, nonetheless was obliged to 
recognize Ambassador Smoking Frog. “The Living Sun, The First Speaker,” 
Smoking Frog said, “has anticipated the outrageous statements of the 
American Ambassador and his foreign toadies. The right of the League of 
Nations to take possession of the Namestone is beyond question or doubt. 
  It is totally forbidden and contrary to the League Charter, the votes 
of this body, and the votes of the World Council for any nation to take 
any other stand.  Furthermore, it is the privilege and duty of the 
persona leagues and military forces of every nation of the world to 
enforce these votes anywhere on the planet without begging leave of the 
local governments, all of which are entirely subordinate to the League 
of Nations and therefore must be brought to heel if they fail to obey 
the League’s righteous edicts. The people of the world may be assured 
that so soon as the Bearer is located, the Jaguar Knights and the Eagle 
Legion will descend upon her, strip her of the Namestone, and prepare 
her to be food for the Gods, or such other form of extended dying as 
this body may choose to specify.”

Holmgren steeled himself for what would undoubtedly be the extended 
remarks of most of the remaining ambassadors, some saying that their 
countries were entitled to pursue the Namestone wherever it was found, 
and others saying that there was no such entitlement. On one hand, he 
considered, only a minority of Great Powers would claim their right of 
intervention.  On the other hand, China and the IncoAztecan Empire would 
both claim the right of intervention.  Alas, they were probably the two 
most populous nations in the world, and both of them were vigorous about 
seeking out and training persona talents wherever found. Holmgren told 
himself that he had wisely packed several large flasks in his vest and 
suitcoat pockets, and suspected that very soon he would be managing to 
drain them of their fine beverages, all of which had begun their lives 
as grain, variously American, Scots, and Russian in extraction.

At long last, the argument over foreign intervention ran out of steam. 
“What do we tell our citizens?” Lars Holmgren finally responded prayerfully.

“Perhaps,” Buncombe said, “you could tell the people of the world that 
you eventually reached this meeting’s agenda.”